Baseball Game Preview: Chatsworth Chancellors vs. Valencia Vikings

The Chatsworth Chancellors will take on the Valencia Vikings at 3:00 p.m. on Friday. Chatsworth's pitching crew has only allowed 3.8 runs per game this season, so Valencia's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Wednesday just wasn't the day for Chatsworth's offense. They took a 3-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of Agoura on Wednesday.

Valencia came out on top against Canyon on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run first inning. The Vikings walked away with a 7-4 win over the Cowboys. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Vikings.

Justin Gaisford was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits (and only one walk). Those nine strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. He has become a key player for Valencia: the team is 4-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 3-11 otherwise.

In other batting news, Cole DeYoung and Kyle Josing did most of the damage at the plate: DeYoung went 2-for-3 with two runs and one double, while Josing went 2-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double. Valencia is undefeated when DeYoung posts two or more runs, but 4-12 otherwise.

Chatsworth has traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 10-9-1 record this season. That patch can't be blamed on the team's pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for Valencia, their victory bumped their record up to 7-12.

Chatsworth might still be hurting after the 13-2 loss they got from Valencia in their previous meeting back in March of 2022. Can the Chancellors avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.